Hospital honors Des Plaines food pantry
Holy Family Medical Center honored the Self Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines with its third annual CARES Award during an award presentation on Thursday, April 12. The award is presented annually to a community leader or organization who exemplifies Resurrection Health Care’s Core Values: compassion, accountability, respect, excellence and service.
“The Self Help Closet and Pantry was selected for this award because it has touched the lives of Des Plaines residents for over 40 years,” said Pam Bell, chief executive officer, Holy Family Medical Center. “They have gone above and beyond the call of duty to improve the quality of life in our community and are almost entirely volunteer driven.”
Debra Walusiak, executive director, accepted the award on behalf of the Self-Help Closet and Pantry.
“I am proud to accept this award on behalf of our many volunteers that give freely of their time and talents in order to help our Des Plaines neighbors in need,” said Walusiak.
Nearly 70 volunteers currently serve the pantry in various food, clothing or administrative-related roles. The organization serves around 1,000 Des Plaines residents each month, providing nonperishable food and clothing to residents in need. Their trademark red barrels around Des Plaines exemplify their community spirit and offer residents a very tangible opportunity to show their support as “Hunger Knows No Season.”
Founded in 1961, Holy Family Medical Center is a faith-based Long-Term Acute Care Hospital in Illinois, and the only such hospital in the Northwest Chicago area. Holy Family operates 105 LTACH beds and specializes in providing care for patients who are critically ill with complex conditions and must be hospitalized for an extended period of time. Holy Family Medical Center is the only specialty hospital campus in Illinois with comprehensive outpatient services including: same-day surgery, G.I. lab, medical imaging, Women’s Imaging Center, Wound Healing Center, sleep disorder treatment, a Pain Center, cardiology, and physical, occupational and speech therapies, and the Keys to Recovery substance abuse treatment program. For information: holyfamilymedicalcenter.reshealth.org/sub_hfmc/default.cfm.
Ÿ Send Your news to nbrcalendar@dailyherald.com.